Seven Fruit and Vegetables With More Vitamin C Than An Orange

It’s thought that up to 50% of older adults may be deficient in vitamin C. Strangely enough, this is sometimes the case for people who have spent a lot of time in hospital. Overcooking vegetables is common in hospital kitchens and this reduces their vitamin C content.

Some studies found people who were apparently eating enough vegetables were actually Vitamin C deficient because of overcooking. There’s a lot to be said for not cooking veggies to mashing point!

Cases of scurvy have been on the rise in parts of the UK because of over reliance on takeaway food and microwave meals. Ironically, it’s said food consumption standards there are worse than during rationing in World War 2. Australia doesn’t get a pass either – doctors in Sydney found patients with hard to heal wounds were suffering the disease.

Vitamin C can’t be made in the body so it’s essential to get it in the diet. Fortunately, only a little is needed to avoid scurvy! But what are the signs that you may be generally Vitamin C deficient? The Patient website tells us the first symptoms of vitamin C deficiency tend to be:

Tiredness and weakness.

Muscle and joint pains.

Easy bruising.

Spots that look like tiny, red-blue bruises.

Everyone knows that oranges have plenty of Vitamin C – 82 mg per large orange – but there are fruits and vegetables that have more per serve.

Here’s our Top 7 Fruit and Vegetables With More Vitamin C Than An Orange

Strawberries

84 mg of vitamin C per cup

Pineapple

78 mg of vitamin C per cup.

Mango

122 mg of vitamin C per fruit.

Brussels sprouts

75 mg of vitamin C per cup

Kiwifruit

128 mg of vitamin C per 2 fruits.

Peppers

From 95 mg in green to 340 mg in yellow.

Broccoli

81 mg of vitamin C per cup

‘Ye scurvy dogs!’ is a piratical insult because weakness is one of the symptoms of mild scurvy. A condition caused by chronic Vitamin C deficiency, it often affected early sailors and it was insulting to have it inferred one was weak.

A Scottish surgeon in the Royal Navy proved it could be treated with citrus fruit in the 1750s. Citrus such as oranges and lemons, as well as kiwi fruit and strawberries, are excellent sources of vitamin C.

Vegetables include capsicum, broccoli, and tomatoes. Do we need to still worry about scurvy? It seems so – some hospitals are seeing the disease again, caused by not enough fresh fruit and vegetables in modern diets. Arrgh!